Door elevating construction



Feb. 14, 1933. A. WASBERG DOOR ELEVATING CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-SheetFiled April 29 1931 L I m Feb. 14, 1933.

A. WASBERG 1,897,563

DOOR ELEVATING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 29, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3"'J'NVENTOe Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AXELWASBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CAJVIEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DOOR ELEVATING CONSTRUCTIONApplication filed April 29,

This invention relates to door elevating constructions and comprehendsmore particularly such constructions which embody inclined rollers.

Among the objects of this invention may be mentioned the provision ofsimple and inexpensive lift constructions capable of easy repair whilethe said constructions are in position upon a door, without removing thedoor from the car.

The objects embrace, further, door elevating constructions capable ofassembly into a unit applicable as such to a door.

The invention comprises the novel constructions and combinationshereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of acar having a door to which one form of the invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on line 22 of Figure 1, the doorbeing shown in lowered position.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, the door being shown in elevatedposition.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, il-

lustrating another form of the invention applied to a wood door.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged partial elevation of the lower left hand cornerof the door shown in Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is an elevational detail of a bracket upon which operating andbell crank levers are supported.

Figure 10 is a top plan View of the bracket shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Figure 1.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 1,inclusive, and Figure 11, it is observed that this form of 50 theinvention is shown for purposes of illus- 1931. Serial No. 533,639.

tra-tion merely in its application to a mei tallic door 10 mounted uponthe car, generally indicated by the numeral 11. The door 10 ischaracterized by marginal framing members, two of which are indicated at12 and represented to be a Z-bar. The door 10 may comprise a dishedpanel or a number of dished panels 13, these panels being provided withupwardly offset portions 14l14 and a lower offset portion 15. It isnoted that the lower offset portion 15 of the panel overlaps the lowerZ-bar framing member 12 and is riveted thereto (see Figure 4 of thedrawings). Adjacent the lower corners of the door 10 the marginalframing member 12 as well as the offset portion 15 of the panel 13 iscoped out as indicated at 16. Extending substantially the width of thedoor and riveted thereto is a backing plate 17 this backing plateextending across the coped portions of the panel and the framing memberand providing relatively flat spots on the door for the purposehereinafter set forth.

In each end of the remaining marginal framing member 12 and theoutwardly offset portion 15 of the panel, there is inserted the bracketmember 18 riveted to the backing plate17, as well as to the framingmember 12 and the offset portion 15 of the panel. Each of these bracketmembers 18 is provided with a bearing 19 extending beyond said ends asclearly shown in Figure 11 of the drawings. Secured to the verticalmarginal framing 12 at the forward or left hand margin of the door is abracket member 20 and secured to the vertical marginal framing member atthe rear or right hand margin of the door is a bracket member 21. Thebracket member 20 is provided with a bearing- 22, extending toward thebearing 19 formed on the adjacent bracket member 18 and being inalignment therewith. The bracket member 21 is also provided with abearing 23 extending toward and aligned with the bearing member 19formed on the adjacent bracket 18. The bracket members 20 and 21 -areprovided additionally with upwardly extending bearings 24: and 25 for apurpose hereinafter described.

A roller 26 is adapted to be positioned adj acent the door in each ofthe flat spots thereof provided by coping of the outwardly offsetportion 15 of said door and of the mar ginal framing member 12 at thelower margin thereof. These rollers 26 are preferably rotatablysupported in retainers 27 which in turn are provided preferablyintegrally therewith with oppositely extending eccentrically positionedtrunnions 2828 adapted to be seated in the aligned bearings 19 and 22and 19 and 23, respectively. These roller retainers in the normal orlowered position of the door assume a position inclined relative theretoand maintain the rollers 26 at all times in engagement with a supportingtrack 29. An upwardly extending lug 30 is formed on each of the rollerretainers 27.

An operating bar 31 is journaled in the bearings 24 and 25 formedrespectively on the brackets 20 and 21. The operating bar 31 isadditionally journaled in a bearing member 32 formed on a bracket 33secured substantiall 1 centrally to the door. The bracket member 33 isprovided additionally with an outwardly extending boss 34 upon which ispivotally mounted an operating lever 35. This operating lever embodies acam portion 36 adapted to bear upon the cam 37 collared upon theoperating bar 31 and rigidly secured thereto by means of rivets 38. Theoperating bar 31 is formed with a plurality of downwardly extending cams39-39 positioned between the door 10 and the upwardly extending lugs 30provided on the roller retainers 27 and in engagement with the latter.It is observed that the cam 37 provided on the operating bar 31 as wellas the operating lever 35 extend between the door and said operatingbar.

In Figures 5 to 10, inclusive, an embodiment of this invention isillustrated in its application to a wood car door. In this instance thisform of the invention constitutes a unit which may be applied as such tothe door. The door, indicated generally by the numeral 40, is providedwith marginal framing members 4142, these framing members, as clearlyindicated in Figure 5 of the drawings, extending downwardly below thewood portion of the door. The elevating unit comprises a backing plate43 to the ends of which are secured the brackets 44 and 45 by means ofthe rivets 46. Each of the brackets 44 and 45 is provided with a bearingmember 47 and 48, respectively. These bearing members extend toward eachother and are in alignment. A roller retainer 49, preferably of invertedU shaped transverse section, is provided at its ends with substantiallyL shaped bracket members 50. These bracket members presentoutwardlyextending aligned trunnions 51 in eccentric relationship with the rollerretainer 49 and journaled in the bearings 47 and 48 formed on thebrackets 44 and 45. Rotatably supported in the roller retainer 49 is aplurality of spaced rollers 52 maintained in rolling engagement with asupporting track 53. As in the first embodiment of the invention theroller retainer 49 in the normal or lowered position of the door isinclined relative thereto.

A reinforcing angle member 54 is provided at the lower margin of thewood portion of the door 40. This angle member is secured to saidportion of the door by means of a plurality of bolts 55 extendingthrough said angle member, said portion of the door and the backingplate 43. Certain of these bolts, additionally, extend through thebrackets 44 and 45 as well as through the angle member 54, the woodportion of the door 40 and the backing plate 43. Others of the bolts 55are utilized to secure to the door a substanti centrally positionedbracket 56.

Th bracket member 56 comprises a verti-- cally extending flange 57adapted to overlap a corresponding flange on the reinforcing anglemember 54 and to be secured thereto by means of the bolts 55 extendingthrough the openings 58 provided in said flange. bracket member 56 isadapted to be secured to the backing plate 43 by means of a bolt 59extending through a depending flange 60 offset from the flange 57 andpositioned in abutting relationship with the backing plate 43. Ahorizontal flange 61, connecting the vertical offset flanges 57 and 60,is adapted to be positioned in abutting relationship with thecorresponding flange on the reinforcing angle 54. In the angle formed bythe flanges 60 and 61 of the bracket member 56 a pair of spaced walls 6262 is provided. These walls are formed with aligned openings 63-63through which a pin 64 is adapted to extend.

Upon this pin is pivotally mounted a bell crank lever 65, one arm 66 ofwhich is adapted to be positioned in engagement with a deformed portion67 provided on the roller retainer 49. Extending from the flange 57 ofthe bracket 56 is a boss 68 upon which an operating lever 69 is adaptedto be pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof. One end of saidlever 69 extends under the other arm 70 of the bell crank lever inengagement therewith. The door is provided substantially centrallythereof with a deformed angle member 71 adapted to have interlockingengagement with a second deformed angle member 72 for the reasonhereinafter indicated.

lVhen it is desired to elevate the door shown in Figures 1 to 4,inclusive, and 11 from its normal or lowered position in engagement withthe track 29 as indicated in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings a downwardpull is exerted upon the operating lever 35. This downward pull, as aresult of the engagement between the cam portions 36 and 37 provided onthe lever and on the operating bar 31, respectively, will producerotation of The said operating bar in the bearings 24 and 25. As theoperating bar rotates the cam portions 39 provided on said bar inengagement with the lugs 30 formed on the roller retainers 27 will beforced to swing outwardly, causing a corresponding outward movement ofsaid lugs. During this movement the roller retainers 27 will be movedfrom a position inclined relative to the door to a substantiallyvertical position and in view of the eccentric pivotal engagementestablished between the trunnions 2828 formed on said roller retainersand the bearings 19 and 22 and 19 and 23, respectively, on the brackets18 and 20 and 21, an upward or elevating movement of the door will beeffected. The door may then be quite readily moved toward open or closedposition.

It is apparent, with the construction shown, that the roller retainersas well as the rollers may readily be removed if necessary. Removal ofthe rivets securing the brackets 18 to the door permits sliding of saidbrackets into the outwardly offset portions 15 so that the engagementbetween the journals 28 and the bearings formed in said bracket 18 isbroken. The roller retainers may then readily be removed. It is alsoclear that the brackets 20 and 21 may easily be removed. It is furtherapparent that the lifting mechanism may be utilized with any type ofmetallic door. It is only desirable that flat portions be provided onsaid door so that the roller retainers may be easily mounted relativethereto. It is further clear that if desirable the lift mechanismutilized with a steel door may be formed as a unit prior to itsapplication thereto.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 to 10, inclusive,it is evident that the roller retainer 49, the end brackets 44 and 45and the center bracket 56 may all be mounted upon the backing plate 43and then, as a unit with said backing plate, be applied to the door. Inthis embodiment of the invention it is also clear that repairs mayreadily be made without removal of the door from the car upon which itis mounted. The roller retainer 49 may be removed by removing the rivetsconnecting one bracket 50 and sliding such bracket inwardly in order towithdraw the trunnion formed on said bracket from the bearing providedin the adjacent bracket. In the operation of the door shown in thisembodiment of the invention, a clownward pull upon the free end of thelever 69 will result in an upward movement of the opposite end thereof.This movement will impart a corresponding upward movement to the arm 70of the bell crank lever 65. The arm 66 during this movement will exertan outward thrust upon the roller retainer 49, whereby said retainerwill be rocked from its inclined position shown in Figure 6 of thedrawings to a substantially vertical position. During this movement thedoor will be elevated and will be moved outwardly'from its opening atthe same time. In order to prevent bulging of the roller retain orwhich, in this form of the invention may readily be made of a pressing,the inter engaging angles 71 and 72 are provided. Attention is furtherinvited in this form of the invention to the angular construction of thebrackets 50 secured in the roller retainer.

t is observed that the upwardly extending portion of said bracketsconstitute, together with the ends of the roller retainer pockets 73into which a crowbar may be inserted for rocking the roller retainer andelevating the door in the event that the usual operating lever 69 isrendered inoperative.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the detailsof construction illustrated. All changes and modifications of suchdetails falling within the scope of the claims appended hereto areintended to be comprehended within the invention.

I claim: Y

1. In door elevating construction, in combination, a plurality ofinclined rollers, means for retaining said rollers in rolling engagementwith a track,'cam means mount ed upon said door for transverse rotationrelative thereto, said cam means having engagement with said roll-erretaining means and a lever for imparting movement to said cam means forthe purpose set forth.

2. In door elevating construction, in combination, a plurality ofinclined rollers, means for retaining said rollers in rolling engagementwith a track, said means being pivoted eccentrically to said door, cammeans mounted upon said door for transverse rotation relative thereto,said cam means having engagement with said roller retaining means and alever for imparting movement to said cam means for the purpose setforth.

3. Door elevating construction comprising, in combination, a pluralityof rollers normally inclined relative to the door, retainers supportingsaid rollers in rolling engagement with a track, an operating barrotatably journaled on said door, cam means secured to said bar inengagement with said door, cam means secured to said bar in engage-mentwith said roller retainers and means for rotating said bar for thepurpose set forth.

5. Door elevating construction comprising, in combination, a rollerretainer pivoted eccentrically adjacent each lower cornerof the door, alug extending from each retainer, a roller rotatably supported in eachretainer in engagement with a track, said retainers and rollers beinginclined in the normal position of the door, and means embodyingtransversely rotatable cams engageable with said lugs for positioningsaid retainers and rollers substantially vertically to elevate saiddoor;

6. Door elevating construction comprising, in combination, a pluralityof rollers inclined relative to said door in the lowered position of thelatter, means eccentrically connecting said rollers to said door, saidmeans including lugs, a bar rotatably supported on said door providedwith cams engaging said lugs, a collar fixed to said bar, a cam portionextending from said collar toward said door and a lever pivoted on saiddoor and engageable with said cam portion for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th day of April, 1931.

AXEL VVASBERG.

